Tufting machine method and apparatus



June 28, 1966 J. T. SHORT 3,257,981

TUFTING MACHINE METI-IQD AND APPARATUS Filed April 30, 1963 4 Hum 5\ in 58* LIQUID INLET INVENTOR m DRAM, Joe 7'. 7z0r 3 Md W A ORNEYS United States Patent 3 257,981 TUFTIING MACHINE iwnrnon AND APPARATUS .Ioe T. Short, West Point, Ga, assignor, by inesne assignments, to Callaway Mills Company, La Grange, (3a., a. corporation of Georgia Filed Apr. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 276,875 12 Claims. (Cl. 112-266) This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for making tufted pile fabrics, and more particularly to improved methods and means for bringing pile strands into desired positional relationships with respect to a backing. In some of its more specific aspects, the invention also provides for combining liquid treatments with tufting in such a manner as to increase overall fabric processing efficiency.

The positioning of the pile strands or yarns of a tufted fabric relative to the backing material generally has been accomplished through the use of multiple needling tufting machines. In a typical machine of the type used commercially prior to the present invention, cooperating needle and looper elements are disposed on opposite sides of the path of the backing. Both the needles and the loopers are arranged in long rows extending transversely of the backing and the backing is advanced longitudinally. Each of the needles has an eye near its free end through which a pile strand or yarn is threaded. All of the needles move together toward and away from the backing. it carries with it a pile yarn and projects or inserts a loop of this pile yarn through the backing, and then the looper element moves into the pile loop to hold the loop as the needle is withdrawn from the backing.

In the operation of such equipment, the pile yarns actually are pulled by the needles. The strokes of the needles are fixed, so that each time a needle eye moves to its lowermost position the needle will draw enough pile yarn to form a pile looplong enough to extend from the backing downwardly through the eye of the needle and then upwardly again to the backing. After the looper has engaged the loop, the needle moves upwardly to tension the yarn about the looper element. These operations subject the pile yarns to severe stresses that adversely affect the quality of the products produced. Moreover, the equipment itself is rather delicate, requiring close adjustments and frequent repairs.

Another type of tufting method and machine is disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 192,242,

filed .May 3, 1962, now Patent No. 3,089,442. The tufting needles of this machine are hollow and there are no looper elements. The pile strands extend through passages in the needles and, as the needles reciprocate to penetrate the backing, the pile strands are brought into position with respect tothe backing by the gentle action of fluid streams moving through and out of the needles.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a fluid flow tufting method of the general type just described which can be carried out with a minimum expenditure of power and through the use of relatively inexpensive equipment.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tufting method in which the penetration of the backing by the tufting needles is facilitated by the presence of a lubricant at the points of contact.

Yet another object of the invention is to carry out a tufting operation in such a manner that a beneficial application of liquid to the yarns and fabric takes place while the yarns are being positioned relative to the backing to form the tufts.

The foregoing and other objects are accomplished by causing the tip portions of a plurality of hollow needles As a needle moves toward the backing,'

carrying pile strands to penetrate a backing at intervals and simultaneously flowing liquid through the hollow needles in the direction of the tip portions thereof. In one embodiment of the invention the needles are mounted above the paths of a horizontally movable backing and are reciprocated vertically. The liquid is introduced into the internal passages of the needles so as to flow down wardly in contact with the pile strands, impelling the strands out of the tip portions of the needles as the needles penetrate the backing to form pile loops on the lower face of the backing. The length of the pile strand delivered from each needle during any given cycle, and hence the height of the pile loop formed during the cycle, may be controlled closely by means acting on the pile strands intermediate the strand supply and the needles to regulate the amount of strands made available to each needle during each cycle.

The flow of the liquid may be continuous or it may be intermittent. When intermittent flow is utilized, the flow cycle should be correlated with the needle cycle to assure that liquid will flow through the needle passages to feed the pile strands during at least a portion of each 'period of time when the tips of the needles extend through the backing.

The use of a liquid as the strand feeding fluid has a number of advantages. Power requirements are minimized and relatively inexpensive pumping equipment may be employed. Moreover, the presence of liquid at the points where the needles penetrate the backing provides a lubricating effect that reduces the likelihood of rupturing the yarns of the backing fabric.

Additionally, the liquid may serve to treat the yarns and fabric, as by dyeing or wetting out. In the manufacture of tufted pile fabrics, as practiced commercially heretofore, the tufting and liquid treatment operations have been entirely separate and have been carried out through the use of different items of equipment usually located in different sections of the manufacturing plant. The present invention does not eliminate the need for separate tufting and liquid treatment facilities, but it does makes possible some reduction in processing time and more eflicient utilization of available equipment.

A more complete understanding of the invention will be gained from a consideration of the accompanying drawing, in which the single view is a somewhat diagrammatic, transverse, cross-sectional view of a multiple needle tufting machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

The frame of the machine shown in the drawing includes a base portion 2 and an upper housing unit 4 extending from one side of the machine to the other. Uprights 6 located at the ends of the machine support the upper housing unit 4 in spaced relation to the base portion 2 of the frame, and suitable fabric feeding and guiding means such as rollers 8 and 10 advance a backing 12 across the base portion 2 in the zone between the uprights 6 in a conventional manner.

The backing 12 may be in a suitable web material. Woven fabrics of jute or cotton frequently are used as the backing material for tufted products.

As the backing 12 is advanced, it moves through a tufting zone where pile loops 14 are inserted therethrou'gh. In this zone the backing 12 is supported from below by a plurality of tine or finger elements '16 secured to the base portion 2 of the machine and it is held against substantial upward movement by a presser member or foot 18 carried by bracket means 20 secured to the upper housing unit 4. The presser member 18 is provided with openings 22 in vertical alignment with the spaces between adjacent ones of tines 16 and also in vertical alignment with the needles 24 of the machine.

aaszesi.

- The needles 24 are hollow and are mounted on a needle carrier 26 which is moved up and down cyclically to insert the tip portions of the needle 24 into the backing 12 and to withdraw them from the backing 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the motion of the needle carrier 26 is a simple reciprocating motion. With this type of needle motion, it is preferred that the advance of the backing 12 be intermittent so that the backing need not move during the portion of the machine cycle when the tip portions of the needles 24 are in penetrating relationship with respect to the backing 12.

The drive for the needle carrier 26 may include an eccentric 28 rotatable with a driven shaft 30 within a bearing member 32. The bearing member 32 is pivotally connected at 34 to the upper end of push rod 30 mounted for vertical sliding movement in a bearing member 38 carried by the upper housing unit 4 of the machine. The lower end of the push rod 36 is connected rigidly to the needle carrier 26 so that the needle carrier 26 will move up and down as the eccentric 28 rotates about the axis of the driven shaft 30.

File strands or yarns 40 for forming the loops 14 may be obtained from any suitable strand supply or source, such as a creel, notillustrated. In this description the terms strand and yarn are used in a generic sense to refer to any of the various filamentary bodies, or groups or assemblies of such bodies, that may be employed in the formation of tufted products.

The movements of the pile yarns 40 from the yarn supply toward the needles 24 are controlled so as to make available to the needles predetermined lengths of yarn suflicient for the formation of stitches containing pile loops of the desired heights. A number of different types of means for controlling the yarns in the required manner are known in the art. A pair of driven feed rollers 42 has been chosen for illustration in the drawing, but it will be understood that various other types of yarn feed mechanisms may be employed when desired. For example, a feed mechanism of the notched bar type, as shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 192,- 242, filed on May 3, 1962, is particularly desirable in the production of fabrics having patterns of high and low pile. These mechanisms are well-known and need not be described here in detail.

Each of the needles 24 is shaped to provide a longitudinal yarn passageway 44 extending therethrough for receiving a pile yarn. Means also are provided for intro ducing liquid into the passages 44 in the needles 24. In the illustrated embodiment, the needle carrier 26 is hollow, providing a liquid chamber 46 from which liquid may flow into the passages 44 of the needles 24 through downwardly inclined bores 48 in the walls of the needles 24.

Liquid is supplied to the chamber 46 in the needle carrier 26 through suitable flexible conduit means 50, coupled to a fitting 52 on the needle carrier 26. If desired, there may be a plurality of the fittings 52 disposed in spaced apart relationship along the length of the needle carrier 26 and liquid may be supplied to each of these fittings 52 through individual flexible conduits 50. Undesired leakage of liquid from the chamber 46 is prevented through the use of gasket means 54 in the joints between the parts which form the closed chamber and by the use of seals, such as O-rings 56 surrounding the individual needles 24 at the points where these needles pass through the walls of the needle carrier 26.

The liquid streams flowing downwardly through the passages 44 in the needles 24 and out of the tip portions of these needles exert pulling forces on the pile yarns 40. As the needles 24 penetrate the backing 12, the pile yarns 40 are impelled by the liquid streams out of the needles 24 in the form of pile loops 14. The height of a pile loop 14 formed during a given machine cycle will of course depend upon the amount of pile yarn 4% made available to the needle 24 during that cycle by the yarn feed means 42.

A collection chamber 58 is mounted on the base portion 2 of the machine frame in position to receive the liquid issuing from the needles 24. It is preferred that the chamber 58 extend beyond the lateral margins of the backing 12 so that it will also catch liquid that does not pass through the backing 12. Squeeze rolls 60 are provided in front of the tufting station to remove excess liquid from the tufted fabric, and of course the chamber 58 should be so located as to receive this liquid. The liquid is removed from the lower end of the chamber 58 through one or more suitable conduits 62 that lead to a drain from which the liquid may, if desired, be recirculated.

The supplying of liquid to the flexible conduits 50 may be accomplished in various ways. For example, the liquid may be supplied by a centrifugal pump equipped with suitable pressure regulating and pneumatic cushioning means. In some installations it will be found desirable to shut off the flow of liquid during those portions of each machine cycle in which no yarn feeding action is required. For example, the liquid flow may be restricted to those periods during which the outlet openings of the passages 44 in the needles 24 are exposed beneath the backing 12. Valve means capable of regulating the flow in the required manner are well known and need not be described here in detail. The use of such means adds to the expense of the installation but it does permit a reduction in the rate of consumption of liquid without impairing tufting eificiency.

In addition to its yarn feeding action, the liquid also may serve to treat the pile yarns 40 and the backing 12. It is customary to dye or wet out tufted fabrics after the tufting operation has been completed. Through the use of the present invention, these operations may be accomplished, or at least initiated, during the tufting step by incorporating in the liquid supply to the needles 24 suitable wetting agents or dye materials. The treating agents are brought into contact with the fibers of the yarns 40 as the liquid and the yarns 40 move together through the passages 44 in the needles 24. The intimate contact between the yarns and the flowing liquid streams is particularly beneficial in connection with the removal of trash of the type frequently found for example in wool yarns.

Control also may be exercised over the temperature of the liquid supplied to the needles 24 to bring about still other treatment effects. For example, the bulk of some yarns commonly used in tufted products may be increased by subjecting the yarns to elevated temperatures in the presence of moisture.

Other variations and modes of employing the principles of the invention will suggest themselves readily to persons skilled in the art. It is intended therefore that the foregoing description be considered as exemplary only and that the scope of the invention be ascertained from the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a method of tufting of the type wherein the tip portion of a hollow needle having at least one pile strand extending therethrough is caused to penetrate a backing at intervals along the backing, the improvement which comprises flowing liquid through said hollow needle in a direction toward the tip portion thereof during at least part of each period when the tip portion of the needle protrudes through said backing to impel said pile strand through said needle and out of and beyond the tip portion'thereof in the form of pile loops, and retrieving at least a portion of said liquid.

2. A method of making a tufted fabric having pile loops extending from a backing comprising a cycle including the steps of advancing the backing longitudinally, penetrating the backing with the tip portions of a plurality of hollow needles each carrying a pile strand extending from the backing, through a passage in the needle and back to a strand supply, feeding from the strand supply a controlled length of strand for each needle, flowing liquid through the strand passage of each of said hollow needles and out of the tip portions thereof to impel the lengths of pile strands fed from said supply through said needles and out of and beyond the tip portions of said needles, said cycle being repeated continuously and retrieving at least a portion of the liquid not retained by said strands.

3. The method of claim 2 including the step of providing said liquid with an agent for treating said pile strands.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said liquid is heated prior to its being introduced into said hollow needles.

5. The method of claim 2 including the step of providing said liquid with a dye for coloring said pile strands.

6. The method of claim 2 including the step of providing said liquid with a wetting agent for treating said pile strands.

7. A method of making a tufted fabric having pile loops extending from a backing comprising a cycle including the steps of advancing the backing longitudinally along a substantially horizontal path beneath a plurality of vertically disposed hollow needles, reciprocating said needles vertically to insert their tip portions through said backing, feeding from a strand supply a controlled length of strand for each needle, providing a liquid with an agent for treating said strands, continuously flowing said liquid and its agent downwardly through the strand passage of each of said hollow needles and outof the tip portions thereof to impel the lengths of pile strands fed from said supply through said needles and out of and selectively beyond the tip portions of said needles in the form of pile loops.

8. A multiple needle tufting machine comprising means for advancing a backing along a path, a needle carrier mounted above said path, a plurality of hollow needles mounted on said needle carrier and each having a yarn passage therein terminating in an outlet opening in the lower end portion of the needle, means for relatively moving said needle carrier and said backing cyclically toward and away from each other to insert the lower end portions of said needles through the backing far enough to expose their outlet openings on the lower side of the backing and then to withdraw said needles from the backing, means for controlling the movements of pile yarns toward the yarn passages in said needles to make available to said needles controlled lengths of yarn suflicient for the formation of stitches containing pile loops, means for flowing liquid downwardly through said passages in said needles and out of said outlet openings to move said lengths of yarn out of said passages to form a pile fabric having pile loops extending from the lower face of said backing, and a liquid receiver mounted below the path of the backing for catching and confining liquid discharged from said needles.

9. In a method of tufting of the type wherein a plurality of spaced reciprocally operated needles each holding yarns insert the yarns through progressive portions of backing material passed through a tufting zone beneath said needles upon reciprocal movement between said needles and said portions for forming loops of said yarn in said backing material, the steps of directing liquid onto loops in said tufting Zone as said loops are formed, catching excess liquid falling from said loops in said tutting zone and removing a portion of said liquid from said loops after said loops pass through said tufting zone.

10. In a tufting machine of the type wherein yarns are inserted through progressive portions of backing material in a tufting zone and the loops thus formed are thereafter transported away from said tufting zone by said material, the combination therewith of means for directing a liquid onto said yarns so that said loops are wet prior to being transported away from said tufting Zone, means for urging excess liquid out of said loops, and means for catching and confining said excess liquid.

11. In a tufting machine of the type having hollow needles through which yarns are directed as said needles penetrate a backing material passed \beneath said needles for forming loops in said backing material selectively beyond the depth of the penetration of said needles through said backing material, the combination therewith of means for introducing liquid downwardly through said needles, and means below said backing material for catching the liquid and confining same.

12. The structure defined in claim 11 wherein said last mentioned means includes a chamber into which excess liquid drips.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,990,907 2/ 1935 Kellogg 11279 2,247,716 7/ 1941 Schellenberg et al. 66125 2,421,532 6/1947 Welti 139--1 2,422,126 6/ 1947 Parker 112-80 2,796,085 6/1957 Svaty et al. 139l27 2,932,339 4/ 1960 Odenweller 11279 2,985,124 5/1961 Rice 1l2-79.6 3,039,170 6/1962 Marshall 112-79 3,067,600 12/1962 Minton 66125 3,089,442 5/ 1963 Short 1l2-79 FOREIGN PATENTS 618,165 2/1949 Great Britain. 862,093 3/ 1961 Great Britain.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

FRANK J. COHEN, Examiner.

M. I. COLITZ, J. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A METHOD OF TUFTING OF THE TYPE WHEREIN THE TIP PORTION OF A HOLLOW NEEDLE HAVING AT LEAST ONE PILE STRAND EXTENDING THERETHROUGH IS CAUSED TO PENETRATE A BACKING AT INTERVALS ALONG THE BACKMING, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES FLOWING LIQUID THROUGH SAID HOLLOW NEEDLE IN A DIRECTION TOWARD THE TIP PORTION THEREOF DURING AT LEAST PART OF EACH PERIOD WHEN THE TIP PORTION OF THE NEEDLE PROTRUDES THROUGH SAID BACKING TO IMPEL SAID PILE STRAND THROUGH SAID NEEDLE AND OUT OF AND BEYOND THE TIP POR- 